We Need Your Help
by Omniwriter1234
Summary: The Lutece Twins have a problem, luckily they have not one but two problem-solvers (read: tools). Let's hope they don't break them before they fix it.
1. Hello Again, Mr DeWitt

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own any recognizable or licensed material appearing in this work of fiction in any way, shape, and/or form. It all belongs to it's respective owners to the fullest extent of the laws they fall under. I am not attempting to or making a monetary profit from this work of fiction in any way, shape, and/or form.

AN: Well, this is the prologue to a story I've had on my mind for a while, hope you enjoy it, there'll be another one soon enough.

* * *

"Well, this is quite the problem, don't you agree sister?"

"Quite brother. We've, or they in this case actually, have caused quite the mess, one we will have to undoubtedly have to tidy up."

"True, very true dear sister."

"Shall we begin?"

"It's best to start now, children do make such horrible messes."

"Yes, that's why it's an excellent idea to start cleaning early."

"Then let us depart to get our supplies."

"Of course, we cannot clean without them."

"Indeed sister, very true."

* * *

As he looked back on his life, one man could not help but see how much there was to regret in the end. His life was almost entirely regret, nothing but one failure after another that he wished he could change, just another mistake he wishes he could make right, and always, always his personal ghost, always haunting him no matter how much he tried to stop.

That damn crib was just always there and his demons made sure he would never get rid of it.

"Anna...I'm so sorry."

Booker DeWitt was never a man to cry, he never did it much and never wanted to make a habit of doing it but from time to time, especially on THAT day, he would allow himself to do so.

"Ah, this is quite the sight, isn't it brother?"

"That it is indeed. I can hardly believe it."

"The tears or the fact he does this every year on this exact date?"

"Perhaps a bit of both really, I'm quite surprised he even remembers it all."

"Now, now brother, don't underestimate the power of the human mind. We so rarely treat it with it's proper respect."

"Indeed sister, that last time he visited him his mind helped us quite a bit."

"Yes it did, let's just hope that help hasn't turned to harm now."

"Come now sister, the mind is stronger than that, I do believe he hasn't been driven mad...at least yet."

"Good point, I suppose we shall just have to wait and see."

"So he hasn't noticed us then? I'm surprised, I would imagine he would be pointing a gun at us now, despite how pointless it would be."

"I believe he is still in a nasty state of depression, something about his daughter perhaps?"

"Ah! I should have realized such a thing sooner. Thank you sister."

"You are quite welcome brother."

Booker DeWitt knew the voices behind him, he probably also knew what they wanted with him too. He just didn't care, he just wanted to stay where he was, siting at his desk on the anniversary of the day he both found his daughter and lost her at the same time.

"Hmm, perhaps we should try a different approach then? Perhaps something along the lines of his daughter's current dilemma?"

"Anna!" DeWitt shot to his feet, turning to face the red heads who had appeared in his office/apartment, the numerous beer bottles and racing tickets gone but the stench of cigarette smoke still hung in the air. He may have done his best to change after what he went through but it was ridiculous to think he could drop all his habits.

Everyone could afford a vice and his would always be smoking, something he had eased up on but continued nonetheless.

"Ah, that did get his attention." the male redhead, Robert Lutece, turned to his sister with a small grin, one someone who had just discovered something rather interesting would have. "I suppose that is what we should have done in the first place."

"I suppose you are right." the female redhead, Rosalind Lutece, gave brushed off her brother with a wave of her hand, keeping her eyes locked on the standing Booker. "But on to more pressing matters."

"Quite, quite."

"So, what do you two want now?" Booker leaned back, resting against the wall behind his desk even as his hands seemed to grow sparking blue crystals, the sign of his imminent Vigor use. "Another debt?"

"No, of course not."

"Most definitely not, not after the disaster your last debt caused."

"Quite, you were quite the force when you took on Columbia Mr. DeWitt."

"That is true brother, I don't think I've ever seen one of our experiments go so far, he must have passed through three or so different realities, correct?"

"Not to mention the chaos he caused, but it was entertaining to see his rather fruitless struggles against the bird."

"Quite, his eleventh attempt was quite innovative."

"Ah, you must mean when he caused all that damage with those rockets!"

"Of course, we did give him them in the end."

"Ah, quite the enjoyment that one. Who knew Comstock built a second bird right under everyone's nose?"

"Except our own of course, the shock on his face was quite entertaining before he took a tumble through the clouds, wasn't it brother?"

"Oh I would say it was one of the funniest things I've ever seen, his expressions when he learns there's another bird are always enjoyable. Wouldn't you say the same sister?"

"Perhaps, I always did enjoy his reactions to the founders the best."

"You mean those Motorized Patriots Comstock had Fink make, don't you sister?"

"Of course, except for when he ended up fighting that daddy that one time."

"Oh yes, that was quite amusing. Who knew Elizabeth was so inexperienced to bring one of them at such a bad moment?"

"To be fair he didn't go down without a fight. He put in quite the effort in the end, wouldn't you say brother?"

"Of course, he managed to kill something he had never seen before. It was quite impressive when he saw what it did to that abomination."

"Now, now sister, don't insult such devout contributors. Those mechanized monsters were a great bit of entertainment, there constant complaints while they fought were almost as informative as those addicts we observes in a few doors."

"Of course you would see such a thing brother, everything I despise you somehow grow fascinated with. Of course you're not just doing such a thing to annoy me as you know how aggravating they are to me."

"Perhaps you should try to open your mind to such things, I don't see why you are so stubborn with me on these things from time to time."

"Can you really blame me brother?"

"Of course I can't, I'm simply asking you to broaden your perspective dear sister."

"Are you finished yet!" Booker had been waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and waiting as he listened to the two Luteces talk and talk, acting as if he wasn't even there instead of just getting to the point, mainly what he had to do for them now.

"Oh quite." Robert answered, turning away from his sister as they had launched into an argument over if she was biased towards a specific branch of their research or if he himself was simply choosing topics to look into that would aggravate her on purpose.

"Of course, we were simply waiting for you to speak up before we continued." Rosalind sat down in one of the chairs in front of Booker's desk, Robert following her lead after a moment and settling himself into the second chair, one of the three in the office. "Now, if you can sit down we can explain our business with you."

"And what's stopping me from walking away from you two, the last time I listened to you I was nearly killed and I don't make the same mistake twice." Booker stayed standing, his pistol in hand, something he had grabbed while they were speaking, but currently at his side.

"Because, the "mistake" as you call it,"

",has happened countless times. One of the constants is that you will,"

",nearly always listen to because we can always convince you to see things our way or,"

",you do it to yourself without us having to do a single thing."

"Something we undoubtedly appreciate, Mr. DeWitt."

Booker was silent, instead of speaking he instead sat down, seemingly deep in thought before both Rosalind and Robert snapped their fingers on either side of his face, doing so simultaneously and bringing Booker's attention back to them.

"Ah, it's good we have your attention." Robert leaned back in his chair as Rosalind picked up the pack of cigarettes on Booker's desk with a look of distaste.

"Dreadful things these things are, utterly dreadful." Rosalind tossed them away, something Booker would have normally snapped at but decided against it at the pointed look Robert seemed to give him.

_'She is like this all the time, don't keep those things around when we visit. Understood?'_

Booker only sighed, reaching into his pocket and drawing out a new pack, one he kept on him and already a quarter empty, he had brought it a few days ago and have showed some restraint. Like he said before, he was trying to at least limit his smoking but not entirely stop it. He lit it with a minor Devil's Kiss, a small fireball appearing in his cupped hands before he threw the fireball off to the side, scoring an almost bullseye on the target he had set up for just a purpose. He ignored Rosalind's look of distaste as he took a rather long drag of it, not at all looking forward to having to deal with the Luteces yet again.

"So, what is it you want?" Booker leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms in front of him and tilting his chair back with his feet up on the desk, a habit he had formed after his "adventure" in Columbia.

"We want," Rosalind began.

",no, we need," Robert continued.

"**,your help, quite badly.**" the two speaking together as they finished, looking at Booker with a rare thing, at least some regret in their eyes, enough for Booker to place his cigarette in an ash tray on his desk, giving the Luteces his full attention.

"We apologize for what we put you particularly through, we had no idea it would end up that bad." Robert reached into his jacket, drawing out a box of cigarettes he handed over to Booker. "Consider this the start of our apology, those are..."

",rather special." Rosalind finished for Robert, the redhead's distaste still clear on her face as Booker continued smoking. "But, ignoring your horrible habits, we need your help to deal with a problem, something that concerns, sadly, Zachary Comstock."

"WHAT!"

Robert and Rosalind leaned back moments before Booker's shout, simply waiting as he seemed to be close to a complete breakdown, one that would turn violent very quickly if it was allowed to happen.

"Now, now Booker, calm down and let us explain." Rosalind barely held back a smirk at Booker's actions. "We haven't even had a chance to explain it all yet."

"Then you better start now!" Booker leveled his pistol, the same one he had brought to Columbia and brought back with him along with a few other things safely hidden away in his desk, in easy reach if need be, at the Luteces, his other hand taking on a familiar pattern.

"So your going to try to use Bucking Bronco then?" Robert held back a chuckle, not very threatened by Booker's upcoming use of a Vigor. "Do you really think you can hurt us?"

"..." Booker was silent, instead allowing the Vigor to fade and instead sit back down, sighing as he picked up his still burning cigarette and took another drag, deciding to keep his anger in check for the moment.

"That's more like it." Rosalind stood up, walking around the desk to stand on Booker's side. "Now, are you willing to listen now or do we have to take more extreme measures?"

"..."

"I do believe his silence is an affirmation to nonviolence sister, you don't have to keep up that act now."

"Of course I don't, it simply helps."

"Oh no doubt but we have to remember who we're dealing with here."

"Good point, perhaps we should watch ourselves."

"**HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**" both Robert an Rosalind broke into almost mad laughter at Rosalind's words before they composed themselves, Robert still lightly chuckling at such a thought.

"Now, on to business I suppose." Rosalind reached into her jacket, drawing out a picture. One of Zachary Comstock and some other man shaking hands on a hovercraft, this one heavily stylized and obvious purely ceremonial.

"Tell us Booker, what do you know of Andrew Ryan?"

* * *

AN: And here's something I'll probably devout at least a biweekly update status too, I have a outline and don't expect this story to be long so enjoy as I try my hand at a BioShock story.

Peace.


	2. We Meet Again, Mr Ryan

Disclaimer: I do not own and/or claim to own any recognizable and/or licensed material appearing in this work of fiction in any way, shape and/or form. I am not attempting to and/or making any monetary profit from this work of fiction in any way, shape, and/or form. All recognizable and/or licensed material appearing in this work of fiction belong to their respective owners in any way, shape, and/or form.

AN: Well, here's chapter two.

* * *

"Well, that went far better than I expected, don't you agree brother?"

"Quite, now all we need to do is get the other."

"Why do we need him again? DeWitt would seem enough, especially once he..."

"Now, now dear sister, no need to spoil the surprise."

"Ah, of course but, getting back to the matter at hand, what shall we do about him? He isn't our greatest fan brother."

"Well, he's at least not as bad as he could be? He actually turned out quite well and I'm sure we can reason with him."

"Mostly sane is not "quite well" Robert and he doesn't hate us, I do believe he despises our very existence."

"I doubt he will be that bad Rosalind, I'm sure we can provide the correct incentive for him especially given his history."

"Or perhaps we could simply pick someone else? We do have nearly infinite choices."

"Come now Rosalind, no need to be so dismissive of these two. We've run this experiment before...haven't we?"

"I don't believe we have Robert, I don't believe we have."

"Oh...that's...that's quite troubling."

"Indeed brother, indeed."

* * *

His life now, well, it was interesting to say the least. He had survived through hell, the hell known as Rapture and he still found himself looking back on it, everything he had done there. He remembered the panic, the fear, the pain he felt when he first arrived before eventually he became the terror, the fear, the monster. He wasn't proud of it but he wouldn't take any of it back, he had come back better because of it and had brought back a few things as well.

"Daddy!" one of those "souvenirs" barreled into him, Jack Ryan catching her in his arms and spinning around, smiling as he heard the young girl's giggles before he gently set her down.

"So, how was school Liz?" Jack set her up on his shoulders, something all his daughters liked, something he wished didn't come from their life before he met them. "Did anything happen?"

"A...a few things." Elizabeth or Liz as she liked to be called was nervous, not looking forward to telling Jack what had happened.

"Hmm...was it anything bad?" Jack, for lack of a better word, was protective of his daughters, something anyone could attest to. The oldest, at least at the house, fifteen year old Beth, could attest to that. He had terrified the boy she had brought home once, cleaning guns while explaining his past, a mercenary cover that was a half truth. The poor boy nearly ran out of the house when Jack pointed a fully loaded machine gun towards him, asking him what he planned to do with his daughter. "Did those two mess with you again?"

"Y..yes." Liz looked away, focusing on the ground below her before Jack suddenly stopped, tensing as he looked at the figure in front of him. "Daddy? Is something wrong?"

"Run home Liz, get everyone downstairs and lock the doors." Jack set her down, not taking his eyes off the figure in front of him, someone he recognized but wished he didn't.

Sadly, he would never forget that face, or that annoyingly clean suit the figure wore.

"Daddy?" Liz backed up, the girl honestly terrified as she saw her father pull out the gun he carried with him everywhere, one of his many more off limits "souvenirs" from Rapture.

"Run home." Jack rolled up his sleeves, mentally going off what he had on him.

'Three spare clips in left inside pocket, four armor piercing rounds in the pouch resting slightly above belt along with fifteen additional standard rounds and the pistol had a crossbow hidden underneath the barrel after second visit to Rapture with three bolts for it. And the Plasmids...' Jack had been...paranoid to put it lightly ever since Rapture. Once you lived through that city you were never the same, something he didn't bother trying to fix when you "retire" from his line of work, especially when it's barely been three years since then.

"I suppose I should have waited." Robert Lutece stepped forward, keeping his hands held in front of him even as Jack leveled the gun at his skull and for the moment fighting off the urge to fire.

"What do you want?" Jack felt fires ignite across his free hand, the Incinerate Plasmid activating and he was ready to use it to roast Robert.

"I...no, we need your help with a rather small problem."

"The last time you told me that I got dragged back to Rapture." Jack held grudges, even before his time in Rapture and even more so after. He very rarely let anything go, something that drove away all of his friends and most of his family, even his parents tried to keep their distance ever since he'd come back, especially after his second visit to Rapture, one orchestrated by the man in front of him along with his other half, the woman and him seemed to make it their mission to make his life hell. "So, why shouldn't I shoot you now?"

"My, my Robert, neither of them responded well." the voice behind him made him turn around, just in time for his gun to be snatched out of his hands by Rosalind Lutece.

"Quite right dear sister, I do believe we should have gone with your plan from the start."

"Of course we should have, I knew he would react like this if we approached him."

"To be fair sister, I thought he was over it."

"Now brother don't be foolish, he will never be "over it" as you put it."

"Quite right sister. Frankly I'm surprised he hasn't tried to kill us yet."

"He has, countless times in fact."

"True, true."

"Of course it is brother, now let us make sure this does not follow the others."

"Of course sister."

"Are you two done?" Jack cancelled the Plasmid when the two Luteces began their conversation, he had long since learned how useless it was to attack them when they got like that.

"**Perhaps.**" the Luteces spoke together, turning their full attention to Jack as they stood side by side. "**But we do truly have much to discuss so we are most likely done.**"

"Good, now what do you want?" Jack took a few steps back, not trusting the Luteces when they took a simultaneous step forward.

"Quite jumpy Jack, don't trust us much do you?"

"I believe he has good reason to sister, we did send him to Rapture on our first encounter."

"That gives him little reason to expect us to do it again brother, he finished the mission and we did pay him handsomely for his efforts."

"Perhaps he dislikes us for another reason then sister?"

"For what reasons could he possibly have?"

"We weren't as big as a help as we thought?"

"Impossible, we supplied him with both weapons and supplies when necessary."

"We threw them at him."

"Mr. DeWitt handled such things easily, I see no reason why he could not do the same."

"We weren't as alerting as Ms. Elizabeth was, I do believe we hardly informed him."

"Hmm, that could lead to a generally negative opinion of the two of us in his eyes."

"I do believe that is correct sister."

"Of course it is, we are hardly ever wrong."

"There is still a slim percent for error even for the two of us, several of our experiments have gotten away from us from time to time."

"They are always swiftly brought back under control brother."

"Are you sure we retrieved that particular experiment when it escaped the experiment?"

"He was handled by Ms. Elizabeth...eventually."

"At a cost sister, at a rather high cost."

"That is science brother and this conversation is now over with."

"Of course it is, let us focus back on Mr. Ryan."

"Yes, we do have need of his abilities yet again."

* * *

_'Dammit__._' Jack was hoping to leave while the two entered another argument, those hopes dashed when the two walked around the corner, Rosalind frowning as they stopped in front of him.

"Good evening again Mr. Ryan, would you care to assist my brother and I in an exp-"

"Whatever it is, I'm not doing it." Jack turned away from the Luteces, crossing the street only to see them there as well, Robert chuckling quietly to himself as Rosalind's current impatience with him was clear, something not at all helped when he turned and ran down the street, quickly climbing over a fence and running through several yards.

* * *

Good evening Mr. Ryan." Jack froze when he heard Robert's voice behind him, the red haired man adjusting his cuffs as Rosalind was nowhere in sight. "Do you think you can handle a conversation now?"

Robert's answer was Jack bolting to the side, sprinting down a pathway leading to a park.

* * *

"Nice day for a run, isn't it Mr. Ryan?" Rosalind waited in front of him, Jack almost stumbling as he came to stop from a dead sprint. "Do you want to talk yet?"

"Well, as the saying goes, 'Second verse same as the first' I suppose." Robert walked up to Rosalind as she sighed in annoyance as Jack turned around and took off yet again.

"I do believe it would be easier just to shoot him." Rosalind rested one hand on her forehead as she was growing more and more annoyed with Jack's actions, seemingly one of the constants of their meetings.

"Patience now dear sister, patience." Robert rubbed her shoulder for a moment before continuing his walk, heading off after Jack.

* * *

"I do feel it is a good idea to warn you, my sister is growing quite aggravated by your continued running." Robert jogged with Jack, still in his suit and drawing several curious looks before they looked away. "She may even shoot you if this continues."

"Why won't you leave me alone?" Jack almost felt like screaming as he turned off the path, continued his run into the trees lining the trail.

"Well, I did warn you I suppose." Robert slowed to a casual walk as his now irate sister stalked past him, Jack's pistol in her hand while the other seemed to twitch erratically, Rosalind wishing to form a fist but also against it.

* * *

"Stay still Mr. Ryan!" Rosalind seemed to have snapped, shooting at Jack as he scrabbled behind a tree for cover. "I am tired of this!"

"I did warn you." Robert leaned against the same tree as Jack, casually taking a bite out of an apple as Rosalind let out a noise of frustration when the gun clicked empty.

"There you are!" Jack suddenly felt himself grabbed by the back of his shirt and found himself on the street where the two had first approached him.

"Robert!" Rosalind momentarily worked on her hair, finding it in minor disarray after her almost mad chase of Jack, as she called out for her brother who tossed his apple into a trash can off to the side.

"Yes sister?"

"Now would be a good time to introduce a variable."

"Of course sister."

"Will you two just le-"

"**Now, would you kindly stop running?**" the two spoke that goddamned phrase in unison and Jack felt as if nails were being driven into his head.

"Would you kindly, powerful words, don't you agree Robert?"

"Quite sister, quite."

"Do you wish to know something Robert?"

"What is it sister?"

"I always wondered why they chose such a phrase."

"Quite, it seems rather common if you ask me."

"How so?"

"An example then?"

"If you will."

"Of course dear sister of mine. Perhaps would you kindly go to sleep? Or what about would you kindly stop that? Even would you kindly..."

"You know what, I don't think it's that common after all brother."

"You're quite right. I suppose it was the best choice."

"Of course I'm right brother, now let's get him up."

_"Would you kindly...powerful phrase."_

_"A man chooses."_

_"Run, would you kindly."_

_"Would you kindly head to Ryan's office and kill the son of a bitch?"_

_"A slave obeys."_

_"KILL!"_

_"Would you kindly?"_

_"KILL!"_

_"Would you kindly?"_

_"KILL!"_

_"A man chooses, a slave obeys."_

* * *

Jack shot upright, finding he was on his couch and after a quick search discovered his weapons were missing along with an unnatural absence for him, the EVE in his body had been drained to make the Plasmids in him worthless.

"Quite the little girl you have here Jack." Rosalind's voice made his head snap towards it, seeing her sitting in a chair with Liz in her lap, the little girl smiling when she saw Daddy was awake.

"Daddy!" Liz waved towards Jack, her Daddy giving a small wave back along with a strained smile, something she didn't notice as she excitedly turned to Rosalind. "Daddy, she's really nice! She gave me a lot of candy and she's lots of fun!"

"I know Liz, but how about you go upstairs and play with your toys? I think someone special left you something in your bed." Jack spotted Robert stepping out of the kitchen, a plate in his hands and setting it down on the small table in front of the couch.

"I do believe we could do with some refreshment, drinks anyone?" Robert stepped back into the kitchen without waiting for an answer, Rosalind meeting Jack's near murderous glare without batting an eye, instead taking one of the sandwiches on the plate.

"What are you doing here?" Jack stayed in his seat, he didn't have his gun and didn't trust his aim with a Plasmid from this distance, he had made tougher shots but he would have to get Robert at the same time, something he didn't think he could make both.

"We need your help." Rosalind leaned back in her seat, locking eyes with Jack, his eyes not changing.

"You can forget about it now get out of my house, one of their big sisters will be back in a few minutes, you don't want to be here when they do." Jack's voice was a near growl, intending to leave as he stood up before Rosalind threw a picture onto the table.

"What is this?" Jack looked down at the photo in front of him, snatching it off of the table and glaring at it.

"That, Jack, is Andrew Ryan meeting with Zachary Comstock." Rosalind leaned back. "Do you understand why we need your help now?"

"Why not just handle it yourself?" Jack tossed the picture back to her, something she caught easily.

"There are rules Jack, rules we impose so as to not damage much, our interference must not reach a certain limit, something us killing the two of them could do." Robert stepped out of the kitchen holding a tray with four drinks on it in one hand. "In short, if we do not follow the rules, rules we ourselves made, then we cannot enforce such things."

"Your point being?" Jack remained standing even as Robert set the drinks down and took a seat opposite him. "I've broken plenty of rules, I'm sure you can do the same."

"We could do so,"

",but why should we?" Rosalind picked up a glass, taking a small sip from it before setting it back down as Robert finished her sentence for her. "We have not only you but another very capable man on the task."

"And who is he?"

Jack didn't feel very confident when both Robert and Rosalind shared a small grin, very few things they found amusing the same for everyone else, most definitely not him.

* * *

AN: Well, this marks the end of both introductions, both Booker and Jack have been introduced.

Peace.


	3. Meeting

Disclaimer: I do not claim to own and/or own any recognizable and/or licensed material appearing in this work of fiction in any way, shape, and/or form. I am not attempting to and/or making a profit from this work of fiction in any way, shape, and/or form. All recognizable and/or licensed material appearing in this work of fiction is the property of their respective owners in every way, shape, and/or form under the law.

* * *

"You shall be meeting him soon Mr. Ryan." Rosalind took another sip of her drink, a small smirk gracing her face for only a moment before it was quickly gotten rid of in favor of turning to Robert. "You did manage to grab him before we left, correct?"

At her question, Robert's eyes suddenly widened, something he poorly hid with a rather long drink from his glass, draining most of it as his sister frowned at him.

"You forgot him?"

"Perhaps..."

"How is this "perhaps" possible? He was standing right next to us brother."

"I honestly thought you had him with you."

"Of course not, he was smoking and I refuse to take him with me when he is taking part in such a disgusting habit."

"Really sister? Is this problem really not worth you being uncomfortable for only a moment?"

"Come now Robert, this is hardly a problem, you understand how these things work in the end."

"Of course, I simply don't wish to restart my experiments, do remember why we even began this experiment in the first place."

"Yes, yes, I remember why Robert."

"I'm glad you do, I was worried you had forgotten in all our recent excitements."

"Really brother, you believe this to be exciting?"

"Somewhat, the threat Comstock's actions have created has called for our personal intervention."

"In a rather simple form, we hardly had to do anything in the end."

"Understandable, we did simply use Lutece Particles to accomplish our goal but at the moment they are quite strained."

"Of course they are brother, we hardly thought of that as a long term solution in the first place."

"Quite true, quite true."

'These two are insane, the same as last time.'

"Mind getting to the point yet?" Jack really felt that he should take up drinking if the two in front of him were going to be keeping this up every time they met.

"Of course, we seemed to have gotten off topic." Robert cleared his throat for a moment before he locked eyes with Jack. "What do you know of quantum physics?"

"Nothing." Jack replied honestly.

"Good, we don't need to answer any questions then." Rosalind picked up where Robert left off pulling a photo out of her pocket and laying it down in front of Jack.

"This is, as we've shown you before, Andrew Ryan meeting with Zachary Hale Comstock." Robert continued for Rosalind.

"We simply need you to kill these two and destroy the device they are using to create a instability, a substantial reward for both you and your partner await you both if you do this." Rosalind pulled out a large folder from seemingly nowhere as she spoke, sliding it across the table to the Ryan who stopped it before it could slide off.

"What is this..."reward"? I like having all the details laid out before I begin any contract, especially from..."people" like the two of you." Jack opened the folder, skimming through the folder and freezing as he saw several pictured pinned to one of the pages. "Oh God no..."

"I'm afraid saying that will not change the situation." Robert stood up as he adjusted his tie, somewhat uncomfortable as Jack continued looking through the folder, his eyes widening in horror the more he read. "It is a very terrible thing, I will tell you that, it is much worse than what you experienced."

Jack was silent, his hands shaking as he reached the end of the folder, his eyes slowly changing from horror to anger before he quickly calmed himself.

"What do you need me to do then?" Jack locked eyes with the two redheads in front of him, ignoring the way they smirked at what was obviously a job well done.

"As we have already said, kill those two men and we shall ensure you are both handsomely rewarded." Rosalind nodded to Robert as he rose to his feet, stepping outside the room. "My brother is off to get your partner, he shall be here soon and hopefully you two won't kill each other."

"I don't need help for this." Jack stood up, not intending to waste any more time as he went up the steps. "Just be ready to send me off when I come back down."

"If you insist." Rosalind couldn't keep the smirk off her face, finding Jack's sudden commitment amusing for the most part before she stood up and walked out the door. "I frankly don't care if you're going to your death."

* * *

"I suppose you are ready to leave now Mr. DeWitt, am I correct?" Robert opened the door to Booker's office/apartment and was not disappointed when he saw the former Pinkerton seemingly armed for war, his Broadsider pistol at his side, the Chine Broom shotgun, another memento from his time in Columbia, hanging from a strap, a Huntsman carbine slung across his back, and he was loading a Paddywhacker hand cannon when Robert opened the door.

"I've been waiting for you, I'm surprised there's only one of you this time." Booker finished loading the Paddywhacker, slipping it into a holster at his side, opposite the pistol. "So, you got something else to tell me or can I just get this done?"

"Ah, eager aren't we?" Robert didn't move far into the office, merely closing the door behind him and leaning against the wall. "But I'm afraid we can't have you leaving just yet, you still need your partner or else we're both quite sure you'll be dead in seconds."

"And why is that?" Booker leaned back against his desk, crossing his arms over his chest while holding back his urge to use a Vigor.

"This...union, yes, that is the right word, union between Andrew Ryan's Rapture and Comstock's Columbia is a dangerous place, one that has successfully waged war on the world. I suppose I and my sister are at least partly to blame for that through, we, or at least that pair, were responsible for much of the problems they caused, albeit indirectly due to their early deaths." Robert had a small grin by the end of his words, finding the situation he was about to throw Booker into somewhat interesting, especially with someone like Jack Ryan joining him. "Those two, how ever crazy they may be, are far from fools and have created things you stand no chance of facing. Case in point, remember the bird?"

"I know how to deal with it now Lutece and if not, well I've been meaning to destroy that pile of scrap for a long time." Booker seemed ready to fight whatever was thrown at him, something Robert couldn't help but chuckle at.

"I'm afraid you don't fully understand Mr. DeWitt, let me...properly explain this all to you." Robert's smirk fell as he spoke, stepping forward and seemingly vanishing.

"Do understand Mr. DeWitt, I am only doing this as a lesson." before Booker could respond, he suddenly collapsed.

* * *

"So Jack, ready to go I suppose?" Rosalind rose from her seat, finishing her drink as Jack walked back down the steps, his pistol at his side along with his shotgun on his back. He was finishing loading his machine gun, making sure it was fully loaded. "Are you sure you don't want to wait for my brother to return?"

A dark looked flashed through Jack's eyes before he quickly shook it off, merely rolling his eyes at Rosalind's question while resting his gun on his shoulder.

"I don't need any help from someone like him, they'll only get in my way." Jack's words were met by minor laughter from Rosalind, the woman more amused than anything at Jack's confidence.

"Oh you poor delusional fool, you really don't understand anything do you?"

"Listen here yo-"

"Perhaps I should show you."

"What? What are you ta-"

"Yes, yes, that is precisely what I shall do."

"Lis-AAAAHHHH!"

* * *

"I do hope you now understand now, our normal strategy for this problem failed and you saw the results." Robert ignored the shaking form of Booker DeWitt, it was to expected after what he just went through. "The man you face are mad dogs, dogs we need you to put down before they ruin some of our grander plans."

"You...you..." Booker couldn't stop his shaking, couldn't stop his mind from remembering everything he had seen, he couldn't stop the tears as he remembered one fact above all the others.

Elizabeth...Anna...Oh god, was someone like Comstock, like him, really capable of something like that?

"Hmm, it seems you need a minute to gather yourself." Robert turned and walked out the door without paying much more attention to Booker. His focus, as always, were in another dimension entirely.

"...Anna...oh god...I'm...I'm so sorry Anna...oh god..." Booker didn't even look up, struggling to keep himself together as his mind refused to forget what he had seen.

"I shall return shortly Mr. DeWitt, please compose yourself by then." Robert didn't spare Booker a glance, walking through the door and spotting his "sister" outside the room.

"Shall we be off then sister?" Robert stopped, holding out his arm, something that Rosalind took as the two walked out the office.

"Not quite yet brother, we have a few errands to run before we send them off." Rosalind partly guided her brother to their next destination, hardly needing to as, as was always the case, their thoughts were mostly identical. "One of them being acquiring the supplies those two will need."

"Can we not just send one of those guardians in their place? One may have died but that is hardly a constant. His brawn will also be of much use." Robert chuckled slightly at his sister's look of disgust, one directed at him. "Really now sister? Those subjects were not that bad, they were quite good protectors."

"Ugh, brother, I truly believe you only took interest in Delta simply to annoy me." Rosalind rolled her eyes at her brother's rather cheeky grin, restraining the urge to push him away from her. "Those things are simply horrendous, they could have created so many different alternatives if there was even a single inventive mind in that horrid city."

"Come now Rosalind, they weren't that bad." Robert's words were met with a deadpan look from Rosalind, the redhead man sighing a moment later. "Okay, they were."

"Of course they were, who would think those Plasmids would have ended in anything but failure?" Rosalind pulled Robert into an alley, one they would need to leave for their next destination unseen. "This is quite annoying at times."

"What?" Robert looked towards his "sister", the woman looking around the alley with some distaste, particularly the group approaching them from the other end.

"The people who think they can hurt us." Rosalind stepped away from Robert, just as someone made to grab her and Robert quickly disarmed them of their weapon even as she knocked another to the ground with a carefully measured blow. Robert used the knife he disarmed from their earlier attacker to pin a man by their pant's leg, long enough for him to finish them off by slamming the back of their skull into the wall behind them.

By the time Robert had finished the man, Rosalind was dusting off her hands, four others laying out cold around her as she let out an annoyed sigh.

"Is this perhaps a constant for our visits to this Booker?" Rosalind once again linked arms with Robert, the redheaded man chuckling from her words, drawing an annoyed glare from his "sister", something he had gotten used to writing off.

"Come now sister, we could always simply leave from his apartment if you wish."

"Let's just get out of here Robert." Rosalind's eyes suddenly widened, Robert's somewhat questioning look getting her attention. "Oh my, I seemed to have forgotten something."

"And what would that be?"

"Jack."

"Jack?"

"Jack."

"Blast it."

* * *

"Get the hell away from me!" Jack Ryan found himself in something he never thought he would find himself in, even after all the time he's been in Rapture. "What the hell are you anyway!

"BE QUIET!" the monster with the head of a man leapt at him, another blast from his shotgun doing nothing to hurt it before he had to dive out of the way of a massive mechanical fist. "SO LOUD!"

"Die! Die! Die!" Jack used his free hand to torch the monster, his Incinerate Plasmid going to work as he turned his hand into a flamethrower. It didn't work so he switched to Winter's Blast only for a singe large fist to slam into him from the other side, another one of the monsters he was fighting coming from his side and he felt himself slam into a wall as well as the feeling of something shattering around him.

'Oh god, everything hurts again.' Jack struggled back to his feet in moments, using Telekinesis to pull his shotgun, lost when one of the monsters came at him from out of nowhere, and caught it in his hands just in time to level it at the charging monster.

"Burn in hell you son of a bitch!" Jack felt immense satisfaction when he pulled the trigger, firing off the shell of exploding buck directly into it's chest, shattering the glass casing around the beating heart that seemed to be keeping them alive. It seemed he was right too, the monster collapsed seconds later even as the other on pushed him away.

Jack, understanding how to beat the monsters now, unleashed a Cyclone Trap on the next monster, enjoying the lock of surprise on their face as they were thrown into the air, right before he put a second shell of exploding buck into their glass encased heart. Jack wouldn't say he didn't feel a little proud when the corpse, if you could call it that even, hit the ground with a thud before he loaded two more shells into his shotgun.

"Alright, two down and," Jack turned to face the floating city behind him, it's guns raining down on the land below as he let out a sigh as he saw more of Columbia's finest, these ones just normal people, coming towards him over the skylines. ", and a whole damn city to go."

"Just what the hell have I gotten myself into?" Jack threw himself through a store door, dodging a storm of bullets as his machine gun toting foes landed.

He felt a minor pain in his back so twisted around a bit to see what it was only to spot a flickering golden field around his back flickering in and out for a moment before seemingly stabilizing and he let out a sigh of relief.

"At least this shield thing is holding up."

* * *

"My, my, that was actually quite impressive. Wouldn't you say sister?"

"I'll admit he was somewhat impressive but he stands no chance in the end."

"Good point, perhaps we should go "acquire" his reinforcements than?"

"The correct wording would be reinforcement Robert."

"Is that truly necessary now sister?"

"Need I remind you that you seemingly broke his reinforcement?"

"Now sister, please understand that I ha-"

"Robert."

"Yes sister?"

"Just apologize."

"Yes sister. I do apologize for breaking your toy."

"Really now Robert?"

"What would you have me do instead?"

"Perhaps act more mature than that?"

"Now you know that is simply impossible dear sister."

"I'm afraid to say you're right but I must say that you've actually been better than normal."

"Of course I have sister, I do understand what is at stake here."

"And what is that?"

"In the long term absolutely nothing."

"As I have told you many times before we involved ourselves in this mess."

"Yes, you have but I do care for at least several of them. They are somewhat important to my research."

"The Lutece Field won't last long Robert, finish them quickly."

"But these can't be rushed and I do believe we brought in these two to solve our little problem."

"Of course we did. That was the goal all along was it not?"

"We came up with it together, did we not Rosalind?"

"...We have gotten quite off topic haven't we, Robert?"

"Very much so dear sister."

"Shall we be off then?"

"Ladies first."

"Then you should go."

"Hmm, my sister has quite the cheek on her today, does she not?"

"Did I ever give you information to the contrary?"

"I'm afraid to say, I always thought it was simply your time of the month mostly."

"Robert."

"Yes Rosalind?"

"You do know you are now sleeping on the couch, correct?"

"I am unaware we owned a couch."

"Just understand I am attempted to push you off the boat on our next trip, understood?"

"Crystal. Ready to depart?"

"Of course, shall you be rowing or shall I?"

"What about both of us?"

"That is pointless."

"Then I suppose I shall row."

"Good, I would have made you do so anyway."

"Of course you would have, you are my sister after all."

* * *

"...Anna, oh god, I'm so sorry Anna, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Booker didn't bother to move even after he heard the door open, correctly guessing the identity of the two figures there.

"Mr. DeWitt, we require your assistance immediately." the "twins" spoke in unison, something Booker ignored as he continued sitting at his deck, holding his head in his hands as he continued to apologize.

"Hmm, he seems to not be responding." Rosalind walked up behind Booker, observing him as Robert opened the door off to the side, observing the empty crib inside and shaking his head for a moment.

"Perhaps it is because of Anna?"

"Perhaps, how do you suppose we get his attention?"

"Perhaps with another deal?"

"That could work."

"Do you have one in mind sister?"

"I believe you already know."

"So that?"

"Yes, that."

"Are you sure about it? You really want that one?"

"Yes, that one will work."

"Are you sure?"

"Robert?"

"Yes?"

"Stop it."

"Alright."

"What do you two want now? Want to show me something else?" Booker didn't bother looking up at the two redheads, sitting slumped in his chair as he stared at the picture in front of him.

"No, we have a new offer for you, interested Mr. DeWitt?" Rosalind's words provoked a reaction from Booker, the former Pinkerton raising his head to lock eyes with her just as Robert tied something to his arm, slightly below the shoulder so it wasn't uncomfortable to wear, before he tightened it.

"There's it's locked." Robert stepped back as Booker stood up before quickly nearly falling, only catching himself by use of his desk.

"What did you just give me?" Booker's hand quickly moved to the device on his arm, trying to pry if off only for it to be worthless as he felt the device heat up.

"We gave you a smaller version of one of our first machines, one simply made to store items." Rosalind pulled out a remote as she spoke, something Booker noticed made the device heat up and he quickly went for his pistol before Robert's iron grip stopped him, nearly bruising his wrist before he forced him back down into his seat.

"Sister?"

"Yes Robert?"

"Trigger the device, we can explain it all later."

"Of course brother."

"What? Wa-"

Booker suddenly vanished in a flash of light, Robert and Rosalind examining the office for a moment before leaving out the door.

"Well...that could have gone better. Wouldn't you agree Robert?"

"I'm afraid that was a variable sister."

* * *

Jack Ryan cursed when he was forced to run from his cover amidst a hail of bullets. The reason, a few fireballs from the four Firemen doing their best to roast him.

"Fire cleanses!"

"Then try some yourself!" Jack's back slammed against the barrier he was using for cover now before he used Telekinesis to pull a discarded RPG towards him and quickly checking it he found one rocket inside, one he gladly used to blow a Firemen and three Columbia officers off the floating city, straight into the raging inferno that was New York.

'I'm way in over my head.' Jack made another mad dash, helped with an Aero Dash to ram into another officer attempting to tear him apart with a spray of machine gun fire and get to another cover, having to take a minor detour through a store window to do so.

"Okay Jack, just figure this out." Jack checked his pistol, cursing when he found only one bullet left in it.

'Damn, at this rate I'm going to have to start using _those_ bullets and I don't need to draw even more attention to myself with them but it looks like I've got no choice now. These guys will kill me if I don't use it soon enough.'

Jack fired off his last shot, chuckling when he heard the telltale whining he came to associate with a Fireman about to explode into a ball of flames, something he noticed a few officers were caught in if the screams were any clue.

He reached into the pouch at his side for his last resort when silence suddenly filled his ears.

"What the hell?" Jack finished loading his pistol making sure a round was ready to fire before coming out of his cover, coming face to face with a revolver.

"One move and I blow your head off, got it?" the man's words were met with a slow nod, Jack spotting the numerous weapons on the man as well as the odd device on his arm...Wait a second, was this his partner?

"Two redheads send you?" Jack's question was met with a slow nod, the man quickly putting his gun away and holding a hand out to Jack, one the man gladly accepted.

"Booker DeWitt."

"Jack Ryan."

"I guess we know each other from mutual "associates" right?" Booker's words were met with a snort from Jack.

"More along the lines of mutual annoyances." Jack's words were met with a short chuckle from DeWitt.

"I'm going to agree with you about that." Booker turned to observe the damage around them, mainly from Ryan and letting out a low whistle.

"So, I guess we're partners then?" Jack's words were met with a slow nod from Booker, both letting out a sigh.

"Damn Luteces." neither was surprised they cursed the two in unison.

"Really now? After everything we've done for the two of you?" the two voices behind them made the two jump, a pair of pistols pointed at the two redheads behind them.

"Hmm, brother?"

"Yes sister?"

"I do believe they aren't happy to see us."

"Of course they aren't, despite are generous gift to them."

"Quite unappreciative of them, won't you say?"

"Yes, quite."

"Shall we go on then?"

"Yes we shall."

"This isn't going to end well." Booker's words were met with a nod from Jack.

"I wouldn't think it would end any other way." Jack sighed as he spoke, Booker joining him as the Luteces walked up behind them, the group of four suddenly vanishing without a trace.

* * *

AN: So, how was it? Any comments? Any points that seemed confusing? If it was, it was probably intentional.

Peace.


End file.
